Publication year

The oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries suffer from the oil price slump while diversification will prove difficult. In the short-run, the necessary budgetary consolidation Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will weigh on political risk.

Although the UAE’s economy is more diversified and less dependent on the oil sector than the surrounding Gulf States, low oil prices will continue to negatively affect economic and fiscal metrics. Despite the expected twin deficit in 2016 and 2017, we won’t expect any problems in meeting financing requirements due to UAE’s considerable sovereign wealth fund.

The economy of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates is estimated to grow between 3-4% in 2013. Although the UAE has hardly been touched by the political turmoil in the Arab world, youth unemployment is rising and is a source of potential unrest.

The UAE has hardly been touched by the political turmoil in the Arab world. Even so, concerns exist on the medium to long-term fallout of the regional turmoil. The economy is expected to grow a sound 3.5% in 2012.

The UAE escaped the turmoil that hit the Arab world over the past months, as the social and economic causes of the unrest hardly applied to the emirates. There is no suppressed frustration like in Saudi Arabia. Rich, powerful and conservative Abu Dhabi dominates the federation, with modern and market-minded but indebted Dubai playing second fiddle.